Jiria Taneel Republican Kaleesh
by kainthegreat
Summary: Sent from her home planet with no memory of her past, Jiria grows from youngling to hardened warrior of the clone wars. Along the way she makes a grave enemy with the General of the droid armies and the former Kaleesh leader, Grievous.


Jiria Taneel

Republican Kaleesh

**Part 1**

**A few months before Ep. I**

Night had long settled on the jungle planet of Kalee. Two figures, one smaller than the other, ran quickly to a hidden landing bay where a shabby looking freighter waited. The Kaleesh mother had a strong grip on her daughter's hand as they raced for the cruiser. The pilot of the cruiser met the tall Kaleesh halfway. He stared at her luminous yellow eyes as she met his.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" He asked while looking down at the daughter whose tiny face showed only confusion.

The mother nodded, "I have to. Our leader is becoming more obsessed with the war that I'm terrified for my daughter's life. Who's to protect her while my husband and I are gone? She's not ready to fight."

The pilot nodded, "I understand. He's only trying to bring more trade to your planet. It won't be too long before your people will begin to starve to death."

"I know but one day he will go too far. I know very well that he wishes to destroy the Huk, but they have resources that the Republic will defend. If he attacks them what will become of her?" She motioned to her daughter tears shining in her eyes.

"Your husband is not going to be happy about losing his only child."

"I will deal with that." She said while knelling down to her daughter, "Jiria, this nice man is going to take you to Coruscant."

Jiria's lip quivered, "I don't want to leave you mommy."

"Shh." The mother stroked Jiria's face, "You must be brave Jiria."

Jiria sniffed, "But I'll miss you and daddy."

The mother hugged her daughter close to her, "I know Jiria, but your father and I won't be able to protect you for long. You might be killed while we were gone. It would hurt your father and me very much if that happened." The mother leaned back and removed her bone mask and gave it to Jiria, "Here, wear this to honor our people while you're in the Republic and take these," she removed two Lig swords from her back and pressed them into Jiria's tiny hands, "keep the Lig swords on you at all times and I will be with you always. Use them for good and never kill without reason."

Jiria lifted the Lig swords as high as she could, "Won't you need them though?"

"No, you will need them more than me." The mother withdrew a curious looking device, "Look into this Jiria."

"Why?" Jiria asked without looking.

"It will help you sleep while captain Ondar takes you to Coruscant." Jiria looked into the device and a green light shown into her eyes. It took sometime before her eyes drooped and she began to fall back. The mother caught her and stood up. Handing Jiria to Ondar she said, "She'll wake once her memory has been erased." She smiled when she saw that her daughter still had a tight grip on the two Lig swords, "I don't think she'll ever leave those behind." She looked sternly into Ondar's eyes, "Make sure she finds a good home."

Ondar held Jiria close, "Don't worry Milady, I'll find a good home for her."

Ondar turned with Jiria in his arms and went aboard his shuttle. The mother turned as the engines roared to life and the ship lifted off. Tears coursed down her eyes as she tried telling herself that this was for the best of Jiria. Jiria was the only child born in her family and it was hard for her to rid of the happiness she had brought. Though, it was going to be even harder to tell the father.

The flight to Coruscant was calm, the young Kaleesh hardly stirred as her memory was erased. Ondar and his copilot Shale pulled the freighter out of hyperspace and into Coruscant's morning atmosphere when they heard a noise behind them. As Ondar began winging the freighter onto a public landing platform, Shale went to investigate the noise. Shale stopped midway to the lobby when he saw the small Kaleesh cutting a hole open in the side of the hull with her Lig swords.

"Hey! Stop!" He shouted running towards the Kaleesh.

Jiria turned and backed away from Shale with a sword pointed towards him. Once Shale was close she jumped out of the small hole. Shale gasped and tried to grab the Kaleesh but he was too late. Looking out of the hole he saw her landing cat-like on the landing platform that was only a meter from the freighter. Heaving a sigh he ran back to the cockpit.

"We've got a problem Ondar. The little one escaped."

Ondar stood, "What? Where is she?"

"She leaped from a hole she made and landed on the platform. What are we going to do?"

Ondar sat back in his seat stunned, "I-I don't know. By the time we land she'll be gone. Only thing we can do is hope that someone with a kind heart will find her."

The tiny Kaleesh placed her Lig swords across her back as she ran from the landing platform. The bone mask she wore flopped upon her face and would slip down in front of her eyes. She had no clue where she was or where she had come from, the only way she even knew her name was that it was sewn on her small cloak. Jiria, Jiria who though? Why was she in this large place? Where were her parents? Maybe she didn't have any. Maybe they were killed in an attack and those men had captured her as their prisoner.

As she pushed her way through crowds of different creatures she noticed that some were staring curiously at her while others had dark glints in their eyes, she ignored all of them. She wondered from many balconies and buildings until she became even more lost than she was. She stopped on one of these balconies while scanning her surroundings. A curious looking temple caught her eye and she wanted to get to it. Perhaps whoever is there might know where she came from.

Her ears caught the sound of someone trying to sneak up on her. She whirled around to face whoever it was only to relax when she saw the kind looking woman. The woman wore a soft blue-green dress with embroidered flowers on it. Her kind face shown with a radiance that Jiria was sure no one could match. Her red hair was pulled into a strange crest and her brown eyes sparkled cheerfully. Unable to stop herself, Jiria ran to the woman and burrowed her face in the woman's dress, tears flowing down her bone mask.

The woman wrapped her arms around Jiria, "It's all right little one. Where are your parents?"

"I don't know," cried Jiria, "I don't have any."

"Surely you must have someone to care for you."

"No…I don't know."

The woman held Jiria closer, "Do you remember where you came from?"

Jiria shook her head, "No."

"How old are you?"

"Five standard years I think."

The woman smiled, "There we go now we're on to something. What's your name?"

"Jiria." She began crying again, "That's all I can remember though."

The woman stroked Jiria's head, "There, there. If you would like I can be your mother."

Jiria sniffed and looked into the woman's eyes with her reptilian eyes, "I would like that ma'am."

The woman smile grew, "My name is Terr Taneel." She grabbed one of Jiria's hands, "Now, let's go talk with the Chancellor. He has to approve your adoption."

As they were walking to a small speeder Jiria paused and pointed to the temple she had noticed earlier, "What's that place?"

Terr followed Jiria's outstretched arm, "That is the Jedi temple."

"Are the Jedi warriors?"

"Yes, they are keepers of the peace."

"Can we meet them?"

Terr smiled, "Of course, after we have finished our business with the Chancellor."

Terr helped Jiria into the speeder and the tiny Kaleesh settled as comfortably as she could with the swords on her back. Then Terr sat into the pilot side and sent the speeder through the different air lanes. As they weaved through the air traffic Jiria starred at wonder at the sights around her. She had never seen so many different speeders before. Surely half of the universe was in Coruscant. They continued on their way until they came upon the mushroom shaped senate building. Terr landed the speeder in a large hangar bay and hurried to help Jiria out. She led the small Kaleesh through the enormous hall until they came upon a large door.

Terr hit a button on a comlink near the door and voice asked, "Who is there?"

"Chancellor Valorum." Terr spoke into the comlink, "This is Senator Taneel. I have an important matter to speak with you about. May I come in?"

"Of course you may Terr," the Chancellor said happily.

The door slid open and Terr entered with Jiria following closely behind. Valorum stood from his chair and he bowed to Terr. Jiria noticed how old he looked and wondered if his gray hair and wrinkles were caused by age or stress of his work. His soft blue eyes showed not only kindness but a deep weariness as though he had not rested in a very long time. Though, despite this he still had an air of nobility around him.

The Chancellor looked down at Jiria and smiled, "I take it this little one is the reason for your visit?"

Terr nodded, "Yes, I found her wondering the balconies near the opera house. I believe her family has either been killed or has abandoned her."

Valorum's eyes widened, "I hope that it is neither. Both are far too tragic to happen to a youngling." He smiled again to Jiria, "Hello there little one."

Jiria looked up at Valorum and said, "Hello," as her bone mask fell back over her eyes.

Valorum chuckled softly, "It might be take a few years before you grow into your mask," he paused, "You're a Kaleesh aren't you?"

"If you say so sir," Jiria shrugged.

Valorum blinked, "You don't know?"

"No sir," Jiria shook her head.

He looked at the Lig swords on her back, "May I see those." Jiria nodded and removed the swords and handed them to the Chancellor. He inspected the swords for sometime before saying, "These are definitely of Kaleesh make."

He pointed to a small symbol on the hilt of one of the swords, "See this symbol," Jiria nodded, "it is the Kaleesh symbol, and if I'm correct," He pressed a finger on the symbol and energy flowed through the length of the blade, "pressing the symbol gives the sword enough energy to deflect blaster bolts, even lightsabers."

Valorum pressed the symbol again and the power turned off. He gave the swords back to Jiria, "And like the lightsaber, the Lig swords are the weapons of a true warrior."

He clapped his hands together, "Now why don't you look around the building while Terr and I talk about your adoption."

Jiria looked from Terr to Valorum and turned and walked out of the room. When she was gone Valorum went back to his desk and sat down, Terr sat in a padded chair across from him. Terr noted that Valorum looked even older than before.

"I'm not sure if I can approve her adoption Terr. We're not sure if her parents are alive or dead. If they are alive they may come looking for her. However, knowing how the Kaleesh warriors are always fighting the Huk there maybe a chances her family is dead."

Terr shook her head, "I'm not sure Chancellor, but for some reason I have a feeling that she had been sent away from her planet on purpose. Someone went through the trouble to erase her memory and send her here. If they didn't and they do come looking for her I'm sure I can work something out with them."

Valorum shook his head in amazement, "You are brave senator. Very well let me key in the adoption forms and Jiria will become your daughter."

Valorum removed a holopad and while they filled it out Terr asked, "Who do you think her parents are?"

"I'm not sure," replied the Chancellor grimly.

Jiria wondered through the many long hallways of the senate building. Through one of the halls she had found a door to a delegation pod that had been left open. When she had entered the pod she was amazed at how many pods there were. She had tried to count the pods but had become disgruntled and had walked out. She was now following a hall that kept going upwards through the building. Deciding to do something more entertaining she began running through the hall.

While she was running she kept getting distracted by the various objects around her. As she was looking around she failed to see the man in front of her and ran straight into him. When she hit him she fell backwards onto the ground while only startling the man. She looked up and examined him. He was slightly younger than the Chancellor with bits of gray in his fading red hair. His light blue eyes pierced hers with a strange look. His hands reached from the folds of his red robes to help her onto her feet.

"Oh my! Where did you come from little one?" He asked lifting her up.

She gazed up into his hypnotic eyes saying, "From the Chancellor's room sir. I'm being adopted."

"You can call me Palpatine my girl. Who's adopting you?"

"Terr Taneel."

Palpatine paused and looked her over, "You're a Kaleesh aren't you?"

"The Chancellor says I am, but I don't remember anything about my past."

"What do you mean? Surely you must know something about your past." Jiria shook her had, "Well what is first thing you can remember?"

Jiria closed her eyes in concentration, "I remember waking up on a ship with these two human males. I was about to escape when one of them caught me. He shouted something I can't remember. I remember being very scared." She looked back into Palpatine's soft eyes, "That's all I can remember."

"Well my friend it sounds like you've on quite a journey."

They began to walk down the corridor, Jiria trotted beside Palpatine, "Senator

do know anyone from the jedi temple?"

She missed the dark look that Flashed in his eyes, "I know a few."

As they continued on Jiria thought she saw a red and black race, yellow eyes in the shadows watching them, she shook her head and when she looked back the face was gone. She was about to tell Palpatine but thought it better, it was probably her imagination playing tricks on her.

They arrived at the chancellor's door to find it open with Tern and Valorum walking out they smiled at Palpatine and Jiria.

"Senator Palpatine it seems you have meet the new member of our senate," smiled Valorum.

Jiria let out a small squell of happiness and hugged Terr as Palpatine spoke, "Indeed, we happened to bump into each other as I was leaving my office. You know, I believe she should join the Republic gaurd in a few years."

Jiria looked up a Terr, "Can I?"

"I suppose so. There isn't much danger, just a few small skirmishes," replied Terr.

Valorum smiled down at Jiria, "Well then, you're going to need a training droid. I believe there is a jedi knight that specializes in building droids."

Terr nodded, "We were going to the Jedi temple, I will speak with one of the masters about her need of a droid"

"Take care my friends," Varlorum bowed to them both.

As they passed Palpatine the senator looked down at Jiria, "Well my friend I'm sure we'll meet again, hopefully a little less obtrusive."

Jiria waved goodbye to the senator as Terr led her out. When they were gone the chancellor returned to his works and palpation left. The senator walked back up the hallway until he came to the shadowed part of the build. He stood there for sometime before a cloaked being a cloacked being appeared. His hood partially covered his tatooed face and his yellow eyes starred out at Palpatine.

"Master there is something strange about the Kaleesh. She somehow knew that I was here."

"She may have heard you. Kaleesh are known to have keener sences than even a few sith."

"She may be a grave threat to our plans."

Palpatine shook his head, "No, I doubt she will be."

"What of her family?"

"Whoever they are, they are of no concern to me."

Terr landed the Speeder in the hangar of the Jedi temple. As she and Jiria

stept out of their seats they were greeted by Master Yoda and Master Mace Windu.

Jiria immediately took a liking to both of them and greeted them both unshyly.

Yoda chuckled, "Brave you are young Jiria."

"Should I be frightened of you?" Jiria asked curiously.

Mace smiled, "Of course not, however some beings are intimidated by Master Yoda"

"They are?" Jiria blinked and looked at the small Jedi who was no bigger than her, "You don't look mean Master Yoda."

Yoda chuckled, "Not mean, Skilled warrior I am."

"If I am correct, Kaleesh are supposed to be great warriors as well," noted Mace.

"I don't know Master," replied Jiria.

Mace blinked and Terr reassured him, "She doesn't have any memory of her past."

Mace and Yoda frowned., and the elderly Master replied before the Koran Jedi, "If erased her memory has been then a dark shadow may have loomed over her past."

Jiria looked at all of them confused, and Terr looked down at Yoda, "Master I doubt she is or was capable of anything dark."

Yoda shook his head, "Not her but perhaps a family member. Dark times grow in Kalee."

"Master Yoda if you don't mind," Mace interrupted, "I wish to show Jiria the rest of the temple. I think you need to talk to Terr alone."

Yoda nodded and Mace lead Jiria away. Once they were gone and the hangar empty Yoda turned to face Terr once more. The small master meet her gaze easily.

"Sense something in Jiria I do."

"The Force?" asked Terr

Yoda nodded, "Strong she is with the force. Allow her to become a jedi you can but unable to raise her you will be."

Terr shook her head,"She can't lose her another mother. She knows she had someone before who cared for her before she lost her memory. She needs me."

Yoda closed his eyes, "Hmm, right you are. To lose a mother again, break her heart it would. When ready she is come she will to train, but unable to teach her much I will be."

Jiria was able to keep pace with Master Windu's long stride even though she had to walk at a quick pace. She gazed wonderingly all around her as they went. The temple's architecture awed her. The tall ceilings caused every footstep to echoe and large openings in the walls revealed Coruscant's never ending airways and tall buildings. Though most of the hallways were empty occasionally they would run into a few Jedi Knights or Padawans along their route. Those they did pass would stop and talk with the tiny Kaleesh, however they were now in an empty hall. Mace enjoyed his small companion's curiousity and was still amazed that she managed to carry the two large Lig swords on her back while balancing her bone mask upon her face.

After a while they walked into a training room where a Jedi Knight was testing his Padawan's lightsaber skills. The Jedi had long graying hair halfway pulled back to keep out of his soft gray eyes. The padawan on the other hand had short red tinted hair with a thin braid hanging from the side. His blue eyes showed nothing but concentration. Mace led Jiria to one side where they could safely watch the two Jedi practice.

As Jiria watched she could tell who the better swordsman was. Not seeing anything wrong with helping out she shouted a few tips to the padawan.

"Hit at his legs." When the padawan complied his master barely had time to block the attack, "Now strike at his upper body while his defenses are down."

Mace was surprised when the padawan followed Jiria's advice and the Jedi Knight was forced to back away from the attack. The Kaleesh had an unusual talent for her age. The padawan and his master extinguished their blades and walked over to Mace and Jiria.

The padawan greeted the youngling cheerfully, "Thank you for the advice young one."

"You're welcome." Jiria smiled as her bonemask slipt over her face once more.

The Jedi Knight chuckled as she quickly reset the mask, "You have the makings of a leader in you. What is you name?"

"Jiria, sir. Jiria Taneel. What's yours?"

"I'm Qui-Gon Jinn." The Knight smiled and then motioned to his padawan, "And this is my padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi." Qui-Gon looked over at Mace, "I didn't know Terr had a daughter."

"Senator Taneel adopted Jiria today," Mace replied.

Jiria nodded, "And we're looking for the droid builder."

"Droid builder?" asked Obi-Wan confused.

"Means Kazdan Paratus she does," came Yoda's voice from behind them.

"Master Yoda," bowed the three Jedi.

Terr and Yoda walked over to the small group and the small master looked into Jiria's reptilian eyes, "Take you and Terr to him I will."

Jiria nodded and waved good bye to the three jedi she had befriended. Terr grabbed one of Jiria's small clawed hands and they followed Yoda out of the room. He led them through the halls to the lower more secluded part of the temple. The intense silence was unsettling for the little Kaleesh in which some part of her wished to awaken her fighting instinct and lash out at anything. She nearly reached for ther Lig swords as Yoda opened a nearby door with the wave of a hand. As the three entered the room a shout could be heard from behind a multitude of droid parts.

"Go Away! Can't you see that I am busy."

"See you at all I do not." Replied Yoda

There was a loud crash as a small Aleena Jedi hurried out from behind his once organized droid parts, "M-Master Yoda, I was not expecting you. How can I be of service?"

Yoda gently pushed Jiria towards Kazdan, "In need of a droid young Jiria is."

"A Kaleesh? As a Jedi?" Kazdan looked her over, "That would be a first."

Jiria growled at the Aleena Knight, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kazdan ignored the looks Yoda and Terr gave him, in fact it seemed as though he forgot that they were there, "You're race may be proud warriors but as you can see," he motioned to her bone mask, "Very primitive."

Once again Jiria didn't fail to surprise. In hardly the blink of an eye she had one of her Lig swords drawn and Kazdan pinned to the ground with the sharp edge of the sword pressed to his neck, "Take that back."

"Jiria!" Terr hurried forward and lifted the Kaleesh up while apologizing to the Jedi Knight, "Forgive her Jedi I'm sure she didn't mean to."

Kazdan slowly stood up while rubbing his neck and glarred at the Kaleesh who glared a deadlier look back, "It is quite fine Senator." He turned away from the group, "As for a droid I can indeed build one that would suit her fine, but I require a part. It is a unit that will allow the droid to teach Jiria attacks based on her abilities. However I used my last unit on a droid I built for a young padawan a standard month ago."

"Where can we find the part you need?" asked Terr.

"The Jawas of Tatooine might have the part or one of the many junk dealers." He looked back at them, "Go with the force." He looked at Jiria, "Both of you."


End file.
